ARCS motivation model application in a pharmacy elective

Motivation is changeable but unpredictable. However, it is felt that many times, the instructor or instructional designer has no control over the ability to change it. John Keller developed the Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction (ARCS) model of motivation to try and solve these problems.

This class application of the ARCS model uses students who took an elective in summer 2018. Ten students in the first quarter of the second professional year elected to take this course. ARCS motivational instructional and assessment techniques were used to improve the first lecture in the class to help motivate students to want to participate and do well in the course.

This class application demonstrated that the ARCS model learning and assessment strategies could be successful in a pharmacy elective course to improve and maintain motivation. The learning goals assignment and the CIS helped to show that despite the students already being motivated to take the course, motivation could be improved and maintained. Achievement of this motivation occurred through the development of the student's own learning goals and instructor adjustment of course content to ensure goal attainment during the course. Results in this elective course are like those found in other literature. Further studies need to be conducted to determine the effects of this model in other classes, in different non-academic settings, effects on student achievement and need to use more objective measures.